Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Because They Could

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  • Matthew Poole,

    Has anyone else noticed the political compass for the US election - the 2nd graph shows a good representation of a map of New Zealand.

    I made much the same observation months ago, when it was still just candidates for the Primaries. It's an uncanny likeness.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Note John McCain is in Wellington!! And Barack Obama is in Queenstown.

    Ah, I had the scale wrong, placing Obama in Stoke and Nadar in Antarctica.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    New Josh Marshall:

    The McCain campaign has been throwing around so much mud and smears in recent weeks that it's easy to miss just how ugly and shameful their character assassination of Rashid Khalidi is. This is an entirely respectable, highly respected scholar. To go further into making a case for him would only be to enable and indulge McCain's sordid appeal to racism. For McCain, personally, to compare Khalidi to a neo-nazi, it's just an offense McCain should never be forgiven for. It's right down in the gutter with Joe McCarthy and the worst of the worst. Khalidi is in this new McCain set piece for one reason -- as a generic Arab, to spur the idea that Obama is foreign, friendly with terrorists and possibly Muslim.

    There's also a video commentary there from John Judis at the New Republic.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • JohnAmiria,

    Just watched the Obama clip via HuffPo and found it quite moving. Especially when he spoke about his Mom (US sp. deliberate) getting him up at 4.30am to do his homework. And his Dad not being there.

    Also on HuffPo is this piece about Senator Elizabeth Dole running an attack ad calling her Dem opponent "Godless". It's worth a look, and even includes the video.

    FWIW - Democrat Kay Hagan is an active member of her church and used to teach Sunday School. Which, if you believe Obama is a Muslim, proves she's godless.

    hither and yon • Since Aug 2008 • 215 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    The totalitarian tyranny of the Alfreds must end!

    Especially the ginga ones.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    The totalitarian tyranny of the Alfreds must end!

    Especially the ginga ones.

    Hmm,

    That’s a bit odd Sacha. I was about to say the same thing earlier (but pulled back because I didn’t want to upset HG).

    So there’s obviously some subliminal Alfred = ginga thing going on.

    Perhaps due to that really annoying Alf “comedy” from the 80s. He was a ginga alien, right?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Heck, I'd forgotten about the space critter. I was tempted to crossthread.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Our Favourite Fundilicious Friend is over Obama.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • cindy baxter,

    Santos is based on barack obama

    ?
    ... Or was Obama based on Santos (santos came first...)?

    Wondering what the viewing audience for that 30 min ad was...
    it's already 1.1 million on you tube.

    auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 102 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew E,

    Obama's been doing that himself. His 27.32 minutes ended on the "imperfect man, imperfect president" theme, which if it hadn't been followed by the live Florida fiesta would have almost been un-American...

    I'm glad that's the case Don. I take Danielle's point too, but having lived through all the hype for Blair in '97, and normally rational people saying "I don't care what his policies are, getting into power is what's important", I've learned how much damage can be done by a politician who is cut too much slack by too large a proportion of the population for too long.

    If Obama is lowering expectations himself, that's a good thing. It's also good that he's signalling that government can only achieve so much without the American public themselves lifting their game. But some of the improvements needed in the US on a number of issues require changes that will only occur in a generational timeframe, so we shouldn't indulge in 'irrational exuberance' about what an Obama administration may achieve. Significant improvements outside the US could be achieved more rapidly, but I'm not optimistic that they'll happen based on Obama's comments regarding Israel and Afghanistan/Pakistan, and the likely protectionist reaction in the US to the global recession.

    174.77 x 41.28 • Since Sep 2008 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Megan Wegan,

    Ah, one of my favourite whimsical names in American TV credits. (I'm also pretty fond of 'Harley Tat', who worked on Blind Date.)

    Fabiomassimo Dell'Orco from Rome. Thuliso Dingwall from The Wire.

    Yeah, but you can't beat this guy.

    Welly • Since Jul 2008 • 1275 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Yeah, but you can't beat this guy.

    I heard he was going to change his name... to Fred.

    (ah ah ah, I've been waiting 30 years for a chance to use this joke)

    But seriously, at least it's his surname, not a lot his parents could have done about that. On the other hand, if Rob Morrow should ever get murdered, I'd say his daughter Tu has an excellent motive. And extentuating circumstances.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • JohnAmiria,

    having lived through all the hype for Blair in '97, and normally rational people saying "I don't care what his policies are, getting into power is what's important", I've learned how much damage can be done by a politician who is cut too much slack by too large a proportion of the population for too long.

    Yeah, but in Blair's case we were kept in the dark about how strongly he believed in God. We didn't realise he'd be joining the other wack job in doing the Lord's Work in Iraq.

    Obama on the other hand is the reverse. Says he 'believes' in God, but not really. (And if I was him I'd soooo throw in a "asalam malaka" into my Inauguration Speech, just for laughs. See whitey run, run whitey, run.)

    hither and yon • Since Aug 2008 • 215 posts Report Reply

  • Andrew E,

    John - lol.

    But although we may not have known about the strength of his pseudo-christianity, many of us did have quite a healthy degree of scepticism about Bliar, even before he was elected and rapidly proceed to implement policies that even Thatcher had shied away from.

    174.77 x 41.28 • Since Sep 2008 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    but I'm not optimistic that they'll happen based on Obama's comments regarding ... the likely protectionist reaction in the US to the global recession.

    Obama's a protectionist. That's not news. He's been one for the duration of his campaign, credit crunch or no. And beating some decency into the US domestic lobby groups is one of those "generational timeframe" things you mentioned. Hypocrisy and naked self-interest are the name of the game for Americans when it comes to global trade, and Obama's quite happy to keep that up. It's about the only aspect of McCain's policies with which I agree unreservedly.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    Yeah, but you can't beat this guy.

    I wonder if he's from anywhere around these parts:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucking_austria

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Leopold,

    What's happeened to James Bremer? I'd have though he would have been on this thread setting us right by now?

    Since Jan 2007 • 153 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    What's happeened to James Bremer? I'd have though he would have been on this thread setting us right by now?

    You need the invocation:

    Candyman, Candyman, Candyman.

    There, that should do it.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Finally had a chance to do the quiz myself.

    81% Labour. But I was surprised to see the next cab was United bloody Future on 75%

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Jan Farr,

    We all love Obama.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    We all love Obama.

    Although: WTF, Macedonia?

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Although: WTF, Macedonia?

    Yes, may the Skopje 34 live in infamy!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Shit - actually a less dramatic 500-odd votes from Macedonia. Point still ands.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    "It's just not that far from Petting to Fucking."

    Rofflenui! Bloody good form, Mr Wylie. :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    I'm surprised that no-one else has mentioned that the character of Matthew Santos in the West Wing - the junior senator from an ethnic minority who makes a bid for president - is based, explicitly, on a then-little known US politician who'd just made a great speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention. Yes, Santos is based on Barack Obama.

    What's even more frightening is that Vinick - the principled, maverick-ish Republican whom viewers were supposed to be reluctantly wooed into accepting as the next President in a final bipartisan fling for the show (a plan stymied by John Spencer's untimely passing) - also had a real-life basis. I guess the writers just didn't realise that the prospect of absolute power would corrupt said real-life basis *quite* so absolutely.

    (Oh, and if Biden has a sudden heart attack on the eve of the election and/or McCain is offered Secretary of State, I call shenanigans.)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

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